- Length of contract
- Placement
- Remuneration
- Transportation
- Accomodation
Orientations, Training and Conferences
Notification to successful applicants
Roles of the ministries, local governments and CLAIR
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The Japan Exchange and teaching Programme seeks to help enhance internationalisation in Japan by promoting mutual understanding between Japan and other nations. The programme aims to enhance foreign language education in Japan. And to promote international exchange at the local level through fostering ties between Japanese youth and foreign youth.
The objectives of the programme are being achieved by offering college / university graduates the opportunity to serve I local government organisations as well as public and private junior and senior high schools.
The programme is conducted by local governments of Japan in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (hereinafter, CLAIR). The programme is renewed on an annual basis.
The programme started in 1987 with the co-operation of the governments of the participating countries. As of 1999, there are 5,838 participants on the programme from 37 countries.
As the JET Programme has achieved an excellent reputation over the last 15 years, it is of great importance that this high level of respectability be maintained. Participants are invited to Japan as representatives of their countries. Therefore, they are expected to be responsible in all their activities, especially those concerning the promotion of mutual understanding between nations. Therefore, they are expected to be responsible in all their activities, especially those concerning the promotion of mutual understanding between nations. Therefore, it is desirable that applicants are adaptable and have a positive interest in Japan.
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ALT (Assistant Language Teacher: Please Note - Only ALT positions are available in South Africa) Those engaged in language instruction. These participants are placed mainly in local boards of education or publicly run junior and senior high schools. There may be a very limited number of cases in which the participants are placed in private junior and senior high schools through the prefectural offices or designated city offices.
Participants who are assigned to local boards of education or schools are to carry out their duties as Assistant Language Teachers under the guidance of Language Teachers' Consultants, Japanese teachers of the foreign language etc.The following is a brief outline of duties, though they may very from one host institution to another.
Applicants must:
In addition to the above applicants from non-English speaking countries must have a functional command of English or Japanese language.
In addition to the above ALT applicants must:
Successful applicants for ALT position are expected to make an effort to study or continue studying the Japanese language prior to and after arriving in Japan.
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Terms and conditions of service, which often vary according to the policy of the particular host institution in which the participant is placed, are generally as follows:
Contracts are for one year and generally commence on July 2002.They are renewable in certain circumstances by mutual consent between the host institution and the JET participant. A JET participant may not renew more than two times.
Early resignation by the participant greatly affects the overall operation of the programme ( as the yearly schedules for schools and local government offices are made in advance, it also greatly inconveniences the host institutions ). All participants are expected to fulfil the full term of the contract.
Violation of the terms and conditions of the contract. Such as prematurely returning home without justifiable reason, will result in corresponding measures to be taken, such as requiring the participant to reimburse the host institution for the cost of bringing said participant to Japan.
Participants are expected to be at the office and / or school thirty-five hours a week, excluding lunch breaks. It is likely that participants will be required to work during normal Japanese office and / or school hours, which are from 8:30 to 17:15 Monday through Friday. Saturday Sundays, and Japanese national holidays are generally days off. However, there are cases in which extra hours are required to work on Saturdays, Sundays and Japanese National Holidays There are approximately twelve additional days of paid leave, but this varies among host institutions.
CLAIR, following consultation with other relevant parties, decides the host institution in which each participant is placed. Successful applicants are placed in the institutions to which they have been assigned. Any placement request should be written on the application form, however placement preferences on the part of the applicant can not be guaranteed. Rejection by the participant of the position offered will result in disqualification from the programme. Married couples may apply, but each spouse is treated as an individual applicant; placement within the same host institution can not be guaranteed.
Those who pay tax in Japan receive approximately ?3,760,000 per annum, in monthly payments. Those exempt from Japanese income tax, based upon a tax treaty between Japan and the participant's home country, receive approximately ?3,600,000 per annum in net payment. Hence, all the participants, including those liable for Japanese tax, are paid ?3,600,000 per annum. A part of the cost for mandatory health insurance and pension fund (about ?40,000 per month) is borne by each participant and is deducted from the monthly payment of ?300,000. This remuneration is a sufficient amount to cover average living expense in Japan.
Participants will arrive in Japan on July 28, 2002 on the pre-arranged flights from South Africa and are provided with air tickets from Johannesburg International Airport to the new Tokyo International Airport (Narita Airport) by the host institutions.
Domestic travel expenses between New Tokyo International Airport and the host institutions are borne by the host institutions. Travel and other expenses between each participant's place of residence and Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban Airport are the responsibility of the participant. Participants may bring their spouses and / or children to Japan at their own expense after informing their host institutions. However, it is recommended that participants have their spouses and / or children arrive after the participants themselves arrive in Japan and find suitable housing.
Participants will also receive return air tickets to Johannesburg International Airport or the equivalent in cash from their host institutions, provided that they complete their contracts, leave Japan within one month after completion of the contracts and do not enter into employment agreements with third parties in Japan within one month of the completion of the contract.
Host institutions assist participants in finding accommodation. In some cases, housing arrangements will already have been made prior to the participant's arrival. Rent is usually paid in advance and expenses other than rent such as housing deposit, key money (a non refundable sum of money paid to the landlord / lady ) and real estate agent's commission may also be payable by participants before moving into the accommodation. This could amount to the equivalent of between one and six months rent. Other expenses for maintenance and repairs will be based on each JET's housing contract.
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Before departing for Japan, successful candidates receive written materials on the programme along with a Japanese language text and tapes. Pre departure orientation will be held on Friday 26 July 2002 in Pretoria or Johannesburg, prior to departure for Japan. Failure to attend the pre-departure orientation without justifiable reason may result in disqualification from the programme.
CLAIR, the Ministry of Education, and the host prefectures hold comprehensive orientations, which include workshops on topics such as lifestyle in Japan and work duties. Participation in the post arrival orientations is mandatory.
Mandatory training seminars are held during the contract year by host prefectures / designated cities, CLAIR and the Ministry of Education.
CLAIR and the Ministry of Education hold a conference designed for those first year participants who plan to renew their contracts for an additional year. Those Participants who will renew for a second year are required to attend the Renewers' Conference.
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There are two stages to the application procedure:
Applications may be obtained by contacting one of the locations listed at the end of this page.
Applicants must submit the following documents to the Embassy of Japan in PRETORIA. The submitted documents will not be returned.
These documents should be submitted together to :
The Embassy of Japan
353 Festival Street,
Hatfield, Pretoria.
The required documents (with exception of certificate of graduation or degree certificate) must be postmarked no later than 12 February, 2002.
Early submission of applications and required documents is encouraged.
Applications will be initially screened in February 2002. All successful applicants will be called to interview by mid February.
In February 2002, those applicants who pass the initial screening stage are then interviewed at the relevant embassy or consulate, as specified by the applicant on the application form. Interview dates and other details will be supplied to selected applicants. For verification, all applicants must bring their Interview Voucher as identification to the interview site. This voucher, which will be sent from Embassy of Japan in PRETORIA to all those who qualify for an interview, must be filled out and submitted with photograph attached. Applicants without an Interview Voucher will not be allowed to interview or participate in the programme. All transportation costs and other expenses to and from the interview site are to be borne by the applicant.
Final results are announced to successful, unsuccessful, and alternate candidates by the end of March 2002. Alternates will be told whether or not they can participate by the end of August.
Successful and alternate applicants are required to submit an official medical report signed by a licensed, practicing physician, three photographs for the purpose of obtaining an entry visa (3 cm wide by 4 cm long, with full name written on reverse), and proof of graduation from University by July, 2002 (proof of graduation from University should be submitted as early as possible).
The participant may be disqualified from the programme without warning in the following circumstances:
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Successful applicants will be notified of the designated host institution in which they have been placed during May 2002 by Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Embassy of Japan. A notice of Appointment with information about the host institution and the Terms and Conditions of employment will be sent soon after.
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Involved in the application and selection processes and orientations prior to departure for Japan via the embassy of Japan.
Ministry of Education: Involved in the post arrival orientations and mid year training seminars, counselling, and advice concerning participants' duties as Assistant Language Teachers.
Ministry of Home Affairs: Receives placement requests from the local host institutions from prefectures and designated cities; determines participant numbers per prefecture; provide main revenue for the programme to the local governments.
CLAIR: Involved in candidate placement, the post arrival orientations, training, counselling, JET publications and other related matters.
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Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme participants are not necessarily exempt from tax obligations in their home countries. It is the responsibility of individual JET participants to clarify such obligations prior to their departure for Japan. Each participant is responsible for the payment of any obligatory home country taxes.
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